Hindrance
by Desenchanter
Summary: Betrayed, Sango runs from her friends into a horror she could have lived without only to be freed by an unlikely hero. One who happens to be a taiyoukai. To repay him, she has to swallow her pride while evading an obsessed Naraku. SesxSan/mild MxS/NxS
1. Broken

_**Formally known as 'What Cannot Be Forgiven**_' _**is now Hindrance. **_

**IMPORTANT NOTICE:** Thank you to all those who supported me the first time around with _What Cannot Be Forgiven._ I wrote this story quite a while back when I first came out of a pretty long hiatus from writing fanfics. I am a better writer now (at least, I'd like to think so) and this story has always haunted me a little since it held so many holes, particularly near the end. That's why I've scrapped it and started anew. There will be plot changes within it but it'll follow a similar story line. Thanks, and I hope you enjoy.

**Pairings**: Sesshomaru x Sango, mild Sango x Miroku & Naraku x Sango inklings  
**POV**: First person, Sango's **only for chapter one. **_Third-person throughout the rest._

**[...]**_  
_

**{..C**_hapter _**O**_ne_**: B**_roken_**..}  
**

He said, "you are the only woman for which... I care for."

It was no secret how I felt about the perverse monk, though I tried my best to hide it. Time after time he would stroke another woman's behind, beseech another bimbo to bare him an heir, or simply shamelessly flirt. Jealousy was written all over my facade, sometimes my dear friends would tell me I appeared as if I was on fire from it. I _hated _feeling that way but... but I don't know. There was an odd amount of affection that had buried itself deep within me for the man. Why, I simply hadn't a clue. I'd have stopped it if I could, love wasn't something I could afford.

I had endured enough, suffered through the lose of _everything_, I shouldn't have had to risk another broken heart.

Still, it blinded me. I've done numerous foolish things because of it... constantly putting my life in danger not merely to save his life but to run from our problems. I should have known how all this was going to end after the that Shima girl but he had called me _his _woman, as if I was the only one in the world that mattered... perhaps it's my fault? If I had given in to his needs then... no. I'm sick of blaming myself for his short comings.

It's him... not me.

Isn't it?

Earlier, all my mind had been focused on was how we were making grand progress. We had most of the shikon no tama and any part we did not have I was certain Naraku did. That had to mean our last battle was finally coming, that I would be able to save my brother and avenge my family. I was eager for both, not a night went by that I did not think of Kohaku. I wonder how he was doing right now… _what_ he is doing.

Probably not as well as we were. Yet again, we had saved a village from a youkai attack. This time we had the good grace of helping the riches family in the entire place so they were ever so eager to repay us with whatever Miroku—my mixed blessing, my once future fiance that brought me joy yet still managed to be the bane of my existence at the same time—could think of as a reward. He was always the best at wiggling what we needed out of those we helped, I'm not sure if that was a good thing or not. He was sort of a thief, even if he was a monk.

But… though I'd never admit it aloud, I loved the man. As much as I hated it and his endless flirtations.

The celebration to honor our so-called good deed was thrown for us that night. It was fun for a bit, I had a cup of sake or two, but my mind was too plagued with what was not there with me. It had been too long since I had seen my brother. It was my silent pain I carried alone, I couldn't take the jolly times and noise nor did I want the food that my comrades Inuyasha and Shippou were stuffing their months with. I excused myself, telling Kagome that I needed to rest, like the sweet friend she was she smiled and wished me a goodnight. For a moment I let happiness take me, I was glad I had met all of them. If only the circumstances were different...

As I walked outside on the porch away from the rumbling ceremony hall towards the room they had allowed me to take for the night I heard a noise, I knew the mumble well. Miroku's voice but I couldn't hear what he was saying. Then there was this low moan, was he hurt? My heart stopped as I ran to where I could hear some thudding, shifting, and another moan from… a female? Was he fighting a demon alone? No, I didn't feel the presence of any, had someone attacked him?

Looking back, I was foolish, I know but I girl could hope...

Fear filled my head as I pulled open the door. Just as my eyes focused in the darkness I felt as if someone had knocked the wind right out of me, I choked and almost fell to my knees but I held onto the door tighter for support instead.

Miroku was not being attacked at all… he was not in trouble… he just—a tear rolled down my cheek as I bit my lips shut—finally found a woman to say yes. He was _my _betrothed, so what was he doing asking that question still? But there in front of me was a woman that would bare his child. And that someone _wasn't_ me. I couldn't, can't you see? I'd risk losing Kohaku forever and not witnessing Naraku being destroyed. If he could only wait until after that I would have. I wanted a family to replace the one I had lost, I had told him that... but he apparently couldn't wait. Did he not have faith in me? I swore I would kill Naraku before he perished from his wind tunnel... how could I do this to me?

... Why wasn't I surprised?

I wanted to look away, to shut my eyes, but I couldn't. I just watched as his toned body made the woman cry out in passion once more. No, no, no, he was a pervert and would hit on any pretty woman that came his way but he would never… cheat. Was it even cheating? Were we ever truly together? Not once had I allowed him to have me like that, was that why he did this? Because I said 'no' too much? Could he not wait until Naraku was gone? Until we wed?

"Miroku!" I screamed while all the pain that swelled up in my chest to migrate up to choke me as sobs got stuck in my throat.

He had to moan once more before he opened his eyes and looked to me, his baffled, wide, shocked but he did not let a peep out as he parted his lips.

"I never want to see you again!" I finally closed my eyes—just barely could I see him look down to the woman he was pleasing below him—as tears trickled down each side of my face. I slammed the door shut and ran as fast as my feet could take me, as my hands gripped to my hiraikotsu, I ran and ran and ran. Into the forest, through it, dodging trees and roots with my tear blurred vision, it was hard to breath. I had to gasp for air when I reached the middle of it, the darkest place, I tripped over a root I did not see. I could feel a sting—a different one that consumed me beating chamber—scrape up my knees.

"Miroku," I grabbed my throat, I felt like I could not breathe anymore, so I gasped harder for air as I talked to nothing but the night that surrounded me. "How could you?"

I wouldn't go back there. I didn't care if the rest were my friends I'd do everything to stay away from _him_. I would do anything to make this stabbing, aching, suffocating pain cease! It was not fair, why had I fallen for such a man? Did I not have to suffer enough from losing my friends, family, village, brother?

Why did he have to do this from me, too?

"I hate you!" I let all my feelings in to my cry as I fell to the ground completely.

That was the first night since my brother was taken from me that I cried myself to sleep not for what I had lost for what I was certain forever, but for the sake of the heart I had tried so hard not to become broken.

* * *

**A/N:** I think I'm off to a better start, as you can see this is something like a revision since parts and still the same. Sango's my second favorite female character (after Kikyou) so I'm always glad to write a Sango-centric story. I think she has the second saddest story in the series (Kohaku probably has _the _most, you gotta love that boy). Lemons and limes will appear throughout the story, hence the M rating. And just for a notice, I like both couples (SanxMir & SanxSess) so let's not bash either, agreed?

Thank you for reading and **please review**.


	2. Horrified

**A/N:** This was written for community. livejournal. com/Inuyasha_et_al – a LJ community for alt-canon/rare pairings. Join if you like that type of thing. Oh, and only the first chapter is in first-person, the rest is in third. I started to write and it came out in third-person so... and this is highly diverted from the original plot. So, enjoy.

* * *

**{.x.H**_indrance_**.x.}  
{..C**_hapter _**T**_wo_**: H**_orrified_**..}**

Somewhere along the way tears gave way to slumber upon the filthy forest floor. Even though it was not planned she was still a taijiya from start to finish, no matter what happened she prided herself in that knowledge, that _strength_. It was one of the first things her father taught her as a child, always sleep lightly. Enemies always attacked when one was weakest.

When too many crackles of fallen twigs cascaded about she shot open her eyes and reached for her loyal Hiraikotsu—she thanked her lucky stars that she was carrying that still on her back.

Yet… the moment her mahogany eyes met the one who loomed around her everything stopped—her heart, her breath, her world.

Her past stood dumbly above her, what she hoped to be her future, too.

After too long of silence she let her hitched breath rush out as she pushed to her feet and released her weapon to say the one word that meant everything to her, that was her reason for living, enduring all her agony.

"Kohaku."

As much as it pained her, the tears that threatened to break the brim of her eyes, it was clear that the name—_his_ name—fell on deaf ears.

"Kohaku," she repeated all the same as she took a weak step towards him. His eyes were so different—void of the innocence that was radiated from them, void from all affections, void of all that she knew.

One thing was for certain, she understood it even then, all of this was a trap. Why would her puppet of a brother suddenly appear when she was all by her lonesome? Still, the moment he turned his back and ran off she followed him. With all her might she ran and ran and ran, deeper and deeper into the forest until the slim moon's rays no longer could flicker threw the tree tops and she was lost in darkness.

Right into the spider's web, she knew it as she followed him but how could she not? How could she turn her back on her brother? She had to find him, no matter what.

Nothing was certain in her world any longer, Miroku was worse than she ever imagined—she _trusted _him after her world had fallen apart, after she knew she no longer should trust a soul. She. Trusted. Him.

What a mistake…

She shook her head to focus on what was ahead of her, the barely visible figure of her fleeing brother.

"Kohaku! It's me! It's your sister!" She cried out, to try and spark something—_anything_—she shouted what he had always called her, "Ane-ue!"

Like magic that slowed him to a stop, so she did the same a few steps behind him. Her eyes skimmed him as he wearily turned to look at her—perhaps there was even a flicker of what once lied within?

"Ane-ue," she repeated, "you always called me that. I'm your sister, you're my brother—you're my Kohaku."

His lips parted just barely as his hazy brown eyes blinked. That was her mistake, she dropped being a taijiya first and became Sango—his sister—above all else. If there was ever an excuse, that was it.

That was why she didn't notice the attack until it was too late, until she the bash to the back of her head made everything fade to black.

Just barely, she heard, "… Ane-ue?"

Or perhaps she merely hallucinated that, either way, for _just_ one moment she felt her heart lift up only to crash down.

**[…]**

When her lazy lids finally flickered open enough to focus on what was about nothing but the throbbing of her headache caught her attention. Nothing but black abyss surrounded her but she sat on something soft, a futon? She mumbled a moan as she pushed off the floor to look about some more, just barely could she see the thing. How was the room so dark?

_Where_ was she?

In incoherent flashes she recalled the events of that night—or the one before? Miroku… his moans, his figure as he thrust into the random woman the pain, the betray, then Kohaku…

"Kohaku," she whispered, "Kohaku?"

If Kohaku was the bait then the one who had her would most likely be… she took a deep breath in as she composed herself. When her hands rummaged about she found nothing of use, all her weapons had been removed from her and the room she was stuck in seemed to have no exit but how was that possible?

Then something more repulsive came to mind as her hands felt around her body, how did she get into nothing but a simple yukata…? Where had her taijiya uniform gone?

What changed her…? _Who_?

"You have a beautiful body," a wicked chuckle cascaded threw the room then.

A sickening sensation seeped into her as she clenched her fists; she knew that voice—it would forever be etched into her mind.

"Expect for that scar," he assured, there was a crack from one of the wooden panels behind her—swiftly she turned around only to see nothing, then his voice came from a different part of the room. "That nasty thing, that which was created _for_ me."

"Show yourself!" She shouted with perfect poise to hide what she truly felt—the terror of the moment.

She was alone, there were no friends to find her—did they even realize she was gone?

She was in the dark and thus blind.

She was weaponless.

Stuck…

… with him, the hideous hanyou that chuckled again in the dimness.

"Here I am," a hot breath whispered into her ear. For a moment she tensed up before striking at the man behind her only to feel nothing but air.

"Stop playing these games! Fight me, face to face!"

"You don't want that," he assured as he grasped both her wrists from behind to cross them on her chest and hold her against his.

"Let go," she growled fiercely as she tried to thrash about within his grasp only to fail, his strength was too much… what was he going to do with her? Death she was not frightened of, in death she would be reunited with her family—_she hoped—_but Naraku was too devious to simply kill her.

He had to play games… those, she felt a fester of fear flash up over. What more would he—_could_ _he_—take from her?

"No," he whispered upon her ear as he held her tighter, so there would be no more struggle. "You are mine, taijiya."

"Never," she hissed, "you are pathetic."

"The powerful never are," he countered; she could feel his smirk upon her neck.

"You only have power because of the shards of the shikon no tama, that is _not_ from yourself, _you_ have no strength, _you_ are pathetic! You would be nothing without the shikon no tama!"

_That_, that fiery spirit, that heated fury that she could still possess even in the worse moments. The fact she found strength to fight for a future after her past was destroyed _by him_. It reminded him so much of a miko that had enchanted him so long ago—what was now the walking dead _because of him_. She was out of his reach now, there was nothing left to break, she was but a wandering spirit.

What he held in his arms was something real, something alive, something to toy with. Her beauty matched the burning flame of hate that built within her _for him_. It was all so enticing.

"I will kill you," she growled and for a moment she almost believed it herself.

"Keep telling me that," he requested with a lopsided smile as he jerked her forward until her front hit the wall, "tell me of this hate, this darkness within you."

That was what made her different from the others, what caught his interest—the darkness that mimicked what consumed him wholly, that was but a small flicker in him when he was once a human like her. He sensed it in Kikyou, too, way back when she held a beating heart. It was small but there, something he could play on. Now the taijiya held it while her group did not.

The inu-hanyou was hot-headed and held a terrible youkai side but that was no fun, all it wanted to do was _kill, kill, kill_. There were no emotions to manipulate, no brain either.

The monk's worst quality was his womanizing and in general he was of no interest to him.

The new miko was but a poor replication of his past obsession with only a small waver of uncertainty of the inu-hanyou's feelings for her, sure, it was something he could use later but nothing he'd take delight in.

The taijiya held so much more, _potential._

And that excited him, he didn't try to hide that either.

_Her deepest fear_… he had taken almost everything from her—her father, her friends, her home, and even her brother—but her innocence was still _hers_.

Her virtue was something she did not want to give up, _would not_.

So she began to struggle again as he held her wrists in his hand tightly while his other roamed down her hips to her thighs.

"Tell me how you hate me, fight me, _taijiya_."

It was so mocking—as if he were calling her defenseless. As if she were not truly a taijiya, but a poor copy and that was why he could hold her like that. A youkai, at least a merged one, something she was meant to kill.

"Go to hell!" She shouted as she kicked her foot back to hit his leg, it made him falter for only a moment. It gave her enough to free one hand to smack him but then he grabbed it again and turned her arm so they were face-to-face.

She became ill at the sight, with him looming over her—so close. She only ever wanted to be this close with a weapon, or better yet, when he was dead.

Just as she became ill of the thought of Miroku's lie laced lips upon _another's_. He got to fornicate with a fair maiden and she got this…? How was that fair?

"Don't touch me," she ordered as she tried to jerk out of his grasp but he only held her closer, his smirk grew as his crimson gaze shifted up and down her.

"Would you like to hear, _taijiya_, of all the horrors I have made your brother commit?"

"I will kill you," she promised, "I will free Kohaku! I won't let you hurt him anymore!"

"There is no Kohaku left to save, all that I have made him do—it would be cruel to give him his mind back, his conscious."

"You are disgusting," she hissed as he leaned a fraction closer.

"Aren't I?"

She could keep throwing insults but to what avail? The worst things she could think of were like compliments to his demented mind. That was whys he turned her full efforts to kicking and struggling as much as possible, to shutting her eyes and thrashing her entire body about.

A smack to her face to cause her to fall upon the ground put a stop to that. When her sense returned he was on top of her, holding her down, pinning both her arms and legs.

_There was no escape…_

"Keep yelling," he whispered as his horrid, hot, smothering lips touched her neck. "Keeping protesting, where is your honor? Your strength? Will you simply let me have you?"

In the way he was never allowed the miko?

She bit her lips, _what was she to do_? Give him what he wanted and sooth her pride at the same time, the thing that her father instilled in her so securely. The thing that told her to shout and scream profanities at him to not just lie there and take it but then she would be giving him what he wanted… so was she meant to just close her eyes and pretend like it was not happening?

"You are shacking," he chuckled, "are you that scared?"

_Yes_…

Stop.

Don't let this happen.

Someone help.

Someone _stop him_.

Someone!

Anyone would have done, anyone—she didn't care. Her heart, the stupid frail thing it was, still hoped that a certain monk donned in black and purple burst into the room to magically save her and beg for her forgiveness all at once.

She'd forgive him if he did, honestly, if he kept him from starting.

There was a burst just then to catch the monster's attention enough that she could free herself from his grasp and run to the newly formed hole in the wall. She ran with all her might threw the dust and smoke only to smack into a stern stature.

A hand grasped her arm then, quickly her mahogany orbs lifted up to meet a pair of pure golden globes.

Someone saved her—it was just the one person she would have never suspected.


	3. Bitter

**A/N:** This was written for community. livejournal. com/Inuyasha_et_al prompt Bitter– a LJ community for alt-canon/rare pairings. Join if you like that type of thing. Really, it needs more active members. And please review.

* * *

**{.x.H**_indrance_**.x.}  
{..C**_hapter _**T**_hree_**: B**_itter_**..}**

Bent brows and a tilted head spoke instead of the words lodged in her throat, the golden eyed youkai before he disregarded her as nothing more than a thing in his way as he pushed her to the side to point his sword straight at the one he sought.

The one he'd kill, if it were the last thing he'd do.

A chuckle, one that could crackle through her shivering soul, was his reply then he stepped forward, into the room and she stopped—caring, watching, everything—and just rested there for a moment in hopes to sooth the fright that still took hold of her mind, that still shook her frail body.

Because, really, she was just that. Weak, but a mortal, with thin skin, feeble bones that could snap so easily, and her mind? That hadn't been right for too long, so long she could not recall a what it felt like to have now worries, no weight on her shoulders, nothing. When she could have happy times with no cares, laugh as her brother trained…

Her brother, the boy who led her here to…

But that was then, and this is now, when the ruckus began in the room she was just locked in she paused to wonder for a while—stay and help Sesshomaru? Or leave and get as far away as possible, go back to—

—but no, she wouldn't go back there. Who was she kidding? Her pride might beg for her to go forth but self preservation—however little she possessed—told her the truth, she is no use without her weapon. With a weak breath in she let her mahogany eyes flutter to the smash in the wall before she turned to start off in a sprint through the endless hallways.

Why was she running in the monster's liar? Because she had ran away after seeing _him_ with a random whore. Why was all this happening to her? Because _he_ had to ask another woman to bear his child, because _she_ had to say yes. Why oh why was this happening to her? Why did that thing have to hold interest in her?

Somehow, it made sense to her battered brain to blame the monk. Her heart had already suffered from so much, from the loss of her friends, of her family, of her _home_. He knew that, he knew she was fragile, but he still led her on, still told her that she was important, still asked her to become his when all was said and done—it wasn't fair.

For his sake, they ought to never meet again or else she would… she would…? Hurt him? Would that make her feel better to bash him over the head, to punch him, to kick him? No.

For her sake, she ought to never see him again but that anger—that annoyance, that bitter taste in her mouth, would it ever go away?

Then there was light, at least a little as she stumbled out a door into the courtyard so she could take a deep breath of the thick toxic filled air. She stepped forward again until she was on even ground, for moment she wondered what now?

"You," a cold tone stated. Cautiously, she turned to see him standing there—her accidental savoir. "You are part of my brother's group? Where are the others? Where is he?"

"What happened?" She murmured instead as her gaze floated up his untouched figure, as if no battle at all occurred.

"The pathetic creature ran," he hissed.

That was how he worked, she knew, he didn't fight for himself instead he allowed others to do his dirty work. Kami forbid he ever had to do a damn thing for himself. Somehow, it made sense to just nod once at that as her still stunned stare shifted away. She did ponder why he was there, she might have meant to ask but there was no point because pondering wasn't the same as caring.

He might have had the same problem but instead he turned and started off, they were unattached. All that they shared in was hatred, for the hanyou—the not full youkai that took from both of them.

**[…]**

There was nothing.

Nothing for her anywhere, not back with her comrades, not at the village she no longer cared to restore, not even anything in her future to fight for. There used to be, with the handsome violet eyed monk. Though she tried her best not to fantasize, she did often, every night, about what a future would be like with him. How many children would they have? How adorable would they be? And what always brought a light blush to her face, how would their nights be spent? Would… she enjoy it?

More importantly, would he?

Now… now that was a shattered dream. So what now? Her brother? That was all she had but… but even then she knew there would be no joy in that. Though she loved him dearly he would not be the same boy she remembered, his childhood had been taken from him, destroyed, and his happiness with it. There would be no peace after she got him back, after Naraku was dead, no, instead she'd have to work to bring him back to life… if she could even give him life once the shikon no tama was taken from his shoulder.

In the end, that's all the Inutachi cared about. Kagome and Inuyasha were focused on those things; on complete the jewel, on random side missions and Miroku? His wind tunnel wasn't his real care, but the woman they met along the way. They interests did not settle well, all they shared was the need for Naraku's death.

All she cared about was Kohaku, and though they sympathized with her they did not understand. They could not. Kagome had a family, a happy-dappy life on the other side of the well, Inuyasha was single minded, and _him_… he didn't matter.

What was she to do?

Arrogance was not a trait of hers; she knew she could never even hope to kill Naraku on her own, particularly now that she was without her weapon… so she continued to sit under a tree in the midst of the dark forest, staring dumbly into nothing, which is what she felt on the inside.

Her gaze moved upward to the slight shimmers in the sky before she shut her eyes and rested backward to the dismay that her dreams brought to life.

**[…]**

Vaguely, she planned out her future step by step… well; at least she knew the first. Where her weapon had gone was beyond her so she had to go to the bone crafter that had first created hiraikotsu for her ancestors. Of course, the one who had done it for her great, great, great grandfather would surely be dead but it was a family trade so surely there would be someone left to replace her precious weapon.

But how was she to pay for it?

On the bright side, a loving meow had woken her in the morning, her darling friend—the only creature in all the world she put complete faith in—had found her. For that she was grateful, at least she had a way to travel towards the village that the family once lived in.

Thankfully, she apparently was on a lucky streak. It took talking to two elder residents to find the home of the heir of the one who had created so many of her village's weapons. He seemed kind enough, he let her in after she told him who she was, he gave her a cup of warm tea as he sat and patiently listened to her tale and request. It was all going so well until, "I see, and I understand, but what you are asking takes time and a great deal of effort so… I hate to ask but what type of payment may I except?"

His tone and eyes implied that he favored one form over the other, but she had yet to stoop so low as to sell herself for a weapon, no matter how great of one it might be. So she paused and pondered it for a moment before answering with the honest truth, "I have no way to pay you. I have no money, I have no belongs, but I have self respect."

He nodded and then smiled, a bright one as he took his final sip of tea, "good, good, that's the answer I was looking for."

A brow rose up at that, "it was?"

"The weapons that my family creates are special and only the best deserve them, I would have to had to declined my offer to make it for you if you would have willingly whored yourself out for it, pardon my language," he explained.

"That's fine," she assured with a nod, "but you will really do this for… no payment?"

"Sounds too good to be true, doesn't it?" He inquired, "but my family owes your family and now that you are the last of your village I feel… very obligated to repay. I cannot count the times that your village has come to mine's aid, this I owe you."

"Thank you," she whispered in return, really, she did feel she deserved this.

With another set of grateful words she stood up and walked out to allow him time to forge her weapon.

"It will take weeks," he had told her.

For weeks, she'd feel lame, lazily wandering around the village without a thing to do… that didn't seem so appealing but what else did she have? Naraku had taken her weapon, it was probably destroyed or something else so she had no other option.

On her own, she was useless—wasn't she?

**[…]**

Flames of hatred flared deep inside the inu-youkai, _deep_, so unfathomable lodged in his soul that it would forever be scorn with black soot.

She… she, why? Why did she suddenly become important? So important, gravely important. Yet, she was so small, she should have been insignificant, she was but a mortal after all. Still she was precious, her smiles mattered, her loyalty, the way she worshiped him. Even that toad was of value.

They were his, wards of his, and for that I would destroy what took them. _Who_ killed them…

He had, he tore the minions apart into bits and bits but that didn't quench the rage within.

The anger towards himself for leaving them, thinking that no harm would come while he went away for a short time—_a very short_ time. Not even a day but when he came back… the sight he saw, the ravished bodies… they were his to keep safe yet he failed.

He had found the monster that was responsible, that fucking Naraku, only to free some useless mortal and have him escape.

Growls emanated from his chest as he thought of it all—what was _she_ doing there after he stopped to think of it? That disgusting maggot seemed so interested in her; he could hear vague bits of his words towards her. Perhaps… if the taijiya was of significance to that vile creature then he could use her to his advantage. Couldn't he?

Why not? He would have to push his brother out of the way and take her.

_He_ was a taiyoukai, a powerful one, and his brother—that _mere_ hanyou—would be simple to push to the side.

He needed this, he _yearned_ for revenge and if it meant the taijiya's death then so be it.

It wasn't as if she mattered, after all…


	4. Agreement

**{.x.H**_indrance_**.x.}  
{..C**_hapter_** F**_our:_ **A**_greement_**..}**

It took weeks, indeed, to get her new hiraikotsu ready. Weeks in which she didn't know what to do with herself. Her group of friends didn't find her in all that time… and if they wanted to, they could have, couldn't they? Inuyasha was a primed tracker but, then again, for all they knew she just ran off on her own accord.

Would Miroku mention to their friends how he betrayed her with another woman? That he screwed her in the inn they were staying in together? She doubted it. He was a lecherous liar why would that change just because she caught him in the heat of the act?

Idiot. She was an idiot for trusting him. For giving herself away to him. For falling in love with someone she knew from the start would only break her heart. Either, he would do what he did and cheat on her with another women or… his wind tunnel would be the end of him. She would have had to endure losing another person she loved.

Now she didn't have to worry about that. Miroku was no longer her problem. Naraku was… Naraku and his disgusting interest in her. The spider demon, the monster that killed her family, her friends, her village.

In no reality was Sango delusional enough to think that she was strong enough to kill him on her own. She was but a mortal without supernatural powers, just one hell of a determined will. But… finding new alleys, ones that weren't tainted with an alliance with Miroku, would be difficult.

In those weeks she waited for her weapon to be crafted and ready, she couldn't let her skills die down, so she spent hours - perhaps even entire days - just outside the village training. Her sword skills were good, but they could get better, and her ability to throw knives was also decent but she could always use more practice.

In the midst of one of her sessions she sensed something that gave her pause. That made her stop, that got her to twirl on her heels and point her blade at a taiyoukai that was near. An extremely powerful one at that.

The moment she saw the silver haired, golden eyed, man standing there in the middle of the field she froze. Momentarily, of course, but it was enough that he gained the upper hand and swiftly, almost elegantly, stole the sword from her hand and grasped her wrist to yank her to him.

His body was hard, toned, he was probably the perfect fighting fiend. She could easily recall all the battles she had witnessed him in, either with or against Inuyasha. Sometimes, he would make whatever Inuyasha did seem like chlid's play. It was easily to see that he was the older one, the naturally more powerful of the two. Inuyasha tried hard, Sango was well aware of that fact, but Sesshomaru… he didn't seem to need to try.

"What are you doing here?" She finally inquired, as sharply as she could. He had saved her, oddly enough, before when Naraku had her in captivity. She highly doubted that was intentional, nor that he cared enough to come check on her.

"Naraku has some sort of interest in you, mortal," he replied, like ice, cold and smooth while his golden gaze glanced over her body before landing on her deep mahogany stare. The one that he was certain could startle some weaker demons, she was a taijiya and an obviously skilled one. Albeit it, she was weak enough to get caught by Naraku so he wasn't impressed by her.

"No really?" she sapped as she yanked herself free to take a couple of steps away from him. "I doubt that you came to see me merely to state that. So, what would you like?"

"To use you," he stated, simply and honestly. "As bait to lure him out, to destroy him, to _kill_ Naraku in the most painful way possible. He is a coward, a weakling, that hides behind traps and sends others to do his dirty work."

"All of that is true," she felt the same way about the monster. "You think that he would try to come after me again?"

"You think he won't?"

He hadn't tried since she escaped to try and capture her again. Maybe whatever interest he held in her had died down to nothing. But… if it worked, if there was a chance he could be lured out again, then fine. She'd take that risk.

"If it might work, I would be more than willing to try."

She did need an alliance with someone stronger. Obviously Sesshomaru was stronger than her, he had powers that she could not comprehend. And his swords, well, they worked magic in comparison to her normal blades.

That was, actually, much easier than the taiyoukai had expected. Cautiously, he let his stare shift over her. She was a determined mortal, he supposed that meant Naraku had harmed someone of importance to her.

"Why are you not with my weakling brother?" Sesshomaru asked with a bent brow, "or his other mortal companions?"

"I doubt that matters to you," answered Sango seriously.

It was merely out of curiosity that he asked, he preferred it if the hanyou wasn't involved. The others in his group would be of no use to him, either. All he needed was bait, apparently that meant Sango, to get him close to Naraku so that he could end his sick life.

Then he would feel better, wouldn't he? That void within him would be filled. The one left by the little human girl that shouldn't have been important but somehow became just that. Then there was his serf, Jaken, who might have been annoying at times and in need of kicking but the toad had been _his_ to harm not Naraku's.

"Why do you care so much all of a sudden to kill Naraku?" Sango had to ask, he had never seemed to hold such a fierce flame before to aid them in the destruction of their enemy. Something _had_ to have happened to spark such a hatred.

"That is not your concern," Sesshomaru stated.

"Where is Rin or that toad of yours?" Sango questioned while her gaze shifted around him to see that there was nothing. Those two usually followed him everywhere.

"That is, also, not of your concern."

"Fine," she muttered, it didn't matter. "How do you plan to get Naraku to come after me?"

"I will think of something," Sesshomaru assured him while he turned his back to her. Then, just like that, he was gone.

Somehow, she knew in that moment that she very well might regret that agreement. That it could be the end of her. After all, being the bait never really turned out well but she did not care. If it worked, if it killed Naraku, she didn't care what happened to her.

She'd have her revenge, she could rest in peace with that knowledge.

* * *

_**A/N**: I haven't updated this story in ages but I do like the Sess/Sango couple and I want to get as many incomplete stories of mine finished. So here is an update. _

_I hope there is still an interest in the story. Please **review**.  
_


	5. Death & Rebirth

**{.x.H**_indrance_**.x.}  
{..C**_hapter_** F**_ive:_ **D**_eath & _**R**_ebirth_**..}**

There was a sorrow in the taiyoukai that she could recognize. That she could _feel_ by merely looking at him. It was something that he refused to acknowledge, that they never spoke of to one another. They really didn't even speak on their journey. The one they had started weeks ago in order to try and find a trace of Narkau, a way to use her as bait to get him to come out of whatever hole he was hiding in.

And… it was strange, the way the silence wasn't awkward but calming between the two. She didn't need to pester him for attention, he didn't care to give it. It was different than traveling with Inuyasha and the others. There was always something to try and distract her, something always to pay attention to. Either Shippou needed attention, Kagome was always talking about this and that, Inuyasha and her would argue constant, then there would be… Miroku's flirting.

At that thought, a pang chimed through her. For a moment she had to stop walking, close her eyes, and take a deep breath in to try and forget him… to forget what he did. His affair.

Apparently, that caught Sesshomaru's attention enough that he, too, stopped to look back at her just as she was opening her eyes again. He didn't ask, he didn't need to, it was clear in the way he looked at her he was curious as to what that was about.

"It's nothing," she assured him as she readjusted her new weapon on her shoulder to make it more comfortable before she started to walk forward once more. He didn't want to hear about what had happened, he wouldn't have cared about the pain the lecherous monk caused her. With time, she wouldn't care either.

She had expected him to eventually do just that. It wasn't a huge surprise. He was a pervert, always flirting, she knew that there was a chance he would break her heart.

In truth, she had more important things to concern herself with than Miroku. Kohaku was still out there. He was the only thing she had left in the world, the only family she had… if she could get him back she didn't care about all the other pain.

In the time she had been traveling with Sesshomaru, Jaken and Rin had not once shown up. He had not mentioned them, either. Not that he mentioned much. But… the silence, the subtle pain his golden gaze, all seemed to say something horrible had happened.

"Rin and Jaken are dead, aren't they?" Sango dared to inquire as her gaze shifted back to him. "Naraku did something, didn't he?"

"Yes," Sesshomaru answered simply. He had not been there for them… and once he returned, once he found them dead, it was too late to save them. His sword could not bring either back to life. It was his mistake, he shouldn't have left them alone.

That was a guilt he would have to learn to live with… to think, that he would feel something like that over the death of a human child and a toad creature. He felt it was a weakness to care so greatly about anyone or anything else. Still, irritation began to eat away at him at how slowly things were progressing.

There was no sign of Naraku, no way to use the taijiya as bait, no way to kill the bastard yet.

He was so enthralled in his own thoughts that he didn't notice what was about to come, the attack that was begun against him by a far weaker youkai. It wouldn't have killed him if it succeeded, just injured. It was the sound of the taijiya's weapon being hurled at him that finally brought him back to his senses. It would miss him so he didn't flinch, merely curious as to what she was up to.

It cut the youkai that had leaped out at him in half, the one that he didn't even notice. His golden gaze shifted over the dead creature then. It seemed vaguely familiar, perhaps he had a brawl with it in the past, but that didn't matter. His gaze then shifted to slayer as she walked over to pick up her weapon.

"Did you expect me to do that or were you simply not paying any attention?" she inquired as she slung her hiraikotsu over her shoulder.

"I would have handled it well on my own," he countered, which really wasn't much of an answer to her question.

"You know, I will most likely not always be here to watch your back, you should pay more attention in the future."

"I do not need a woman giving me such advise," he snapped with a hardened stare upon her. All she gave him back with a roll of her eyes and a shake of her head. Men, regardless of what species, were impossible to deal with.

That was when their lone trek started up again, the one were each pretended that the other wasn't there, where there was nothing but silence serenading the two. The sun shifted from midway in the sky to almost behind the mountains that were distantly away from them before something else of interest occurred.

He grabbed her, suddenly, strongly, around her waist to yank her close. Her back was against his rather rock hard body, a body that was rather remarkable… but she didn't understand, why the sudden touch? It took the youkai that had apparently been aiming for her to leap out of her for her to realize what had happened.

She wasn't paying attention… and he just kept her out of harm's way. In one swift movement, he yanked his sword free and sliced the youkai in half. It wasn't strange for a youkai to try and attack her when they recognized her outfit as that of a taijiya.

Instantly, she felt embarrassed. She had just lectured him about not paying attention earlier that day and he had caught her doing the same exact thing. But, at the same time, he had just saved her. He could have let her get hurt. She didn't know why, but that brought a smile to her lips.

"Perhaps you should pay more attention," Sesshomaru stated.

"I should… my mind was just wandering," she admitted with a small frown, "I won't let it happen again."

"I won't always bother to help you," he warned.

"Sometimes it's hard to focus," she started, cautiously. Usually, they didn't talk but going so long without actually holding a conversation was difficult for her. She didn't care if he didn't participate, she just wanted to say it out loud. Maybe it would feel better that way.

"My younger brother, Kohaku, is the only family I have left… he is under Naraku's mental control. I have this void in me from not having him around. I want, no need, Naraku dead in order to get my brother back."

"I see," Sesshomaru replied, which surprised her. She didn't expect him to say anything at all… but what she didn't know what that she could recognize that pain. That he knew it. He felt it, too, from the lose of those near him.

He needed Naraku dead for revenge.

She needed Naraku dead for the sake of her family.

It was different reasons, but the same goal. One that they'd work together for… there was simply no way that then they would know what would form between the two in the process.

**[…]**

Time continued to trickle by between the two, they spent ages together, night and day, in search of Naraku. It was only natural, wasn't it? That some sort of feelings would develop? She wouldn't say she fell in love with the youkai or anything, but she did become oddly fond of the silent, stoic, Sesshomaru.

He had protected her, and she would protect him. He saved her from Naraku when no one else could or at least would have. All the time that had passed since she parted with her friends and… they didn't come looking for her.

Whatever. It didn't matter, at least that's what she kept telling herself. Maybe it was the fact that he was there when the others weren't. Maybe it was because he saved her… maybe it was because she was attracted to him but it happened after weeks of traveling together. Perhaps longer than a month.

They found a cave to sleep in for the night, one hidden behind a water fall which gave a kind breeze on a hot summer night. He was gone once the sun set, she didn't know where he went, so she took the opportunity to strip from her hot leather taijiya suit and dip her sweaty body in the water to cleanse herself.

It was refreshing, chilling, but it felt nice to be clean. To free herself from the heat that lingered so heavily in the summer days. She should have been quick, in case Sesshomaru returned. Her modesty wouldn't want her to be caught naked by the youkai but when she finally decided to get out it was too late.

He had returned and was watching her rather shamelessly. Instantly her eyes widened as she dipped down in to the water again then wrapped her arms around his breasts. "You lecher!"

"Bathing in public leaves you subject to being watched," Sesshomaru countered.

"Turn around," she ordered.

He didn't do that, but he did return to the cave behind the waterfall which allowed her time to grab her green and pink yukata and put it back on before she, too, returned with her mahogany gaze narrowed upon him. She supposed youkai or not, he was still a man and she - human or not - was a woman. Many times she had caught the monk peering on her, so why should she be surprised that Sesshomaru did the same?

The top of his kimono was off when she got in, she supposed that was to relieve himself from the heat. Which gave her a prime look over his sculpted body, it was symmetrical after he found a way to re-grow his arm. She wondered if, perhaps, he was still resentful towards his little brother for cutting it off like he had. But she never bothered to ask and he never volunteered the information.

When their eyes met something just seemed to click.. exhausted, frustrated, and each aching must have been the root reason for what happened next. Neither would have anticipated it. She was a taijiya, a woman meant to destroy youkais, and he was a taiyoukai, a creature that was meant never to connect with a mortal. But he had already failed at that with Rin…

He was the one to take the step that both had been contemplating for a long while. the one that brought their bodies together. Her stare shifted over him, just as his golden gaze glanced over her body still dripping with water. Her hair still smelled of the spring she had come out of. Neither really knew what was going to happen next but… it happened.

Somehow, she wrapped her arms around his neck and brought his lips to hers. He was willing to oblige her request to part his lips and let their tongues twist together while his hand hand up and down her body, familiarizing themselves with her curves.

It was hardly common practice for him to make such contact with another person, just as it wasn't her custom to come into contact with anyone else. But he wasn't going to stop when she was the one who started it so he pushed her back up against the rock wall. It took one swift swing of his hand to get her obi to untie to let her yukata fall to the ground.

Her hands worked to get what was left of his outfit off to reveal all of him. Sango had never had a one night-stand or anything of the sort before in her life, but she had conjoined with another once before in her life. A man, Rensei, a warrior from her village. The man that she was betrothed to marry, that was what her father wanted at least. But… he was dead. Naraku had him and the rest of her village killed.

His hands slid up the back of her thighs until he reached her rear, he gripped it tight while he pressed his chest to her bouncing breasts. Their tongues still tangled, their teeth brushed against the other lips, and she even nibbled slightly.

"S-Sesshomaru," she whispered once they parted for air. He didn't say anything back, merely looked at her flustered face and gave her the opportunity to say _no, let's stop…_ but she didn't. Instead her hands wandered down her body as she arched her body towards him.

For a moment, they both stopped to admire the other's body. His golden gazes devoured her fine psyche, her mahogany stare shifted up his tone, lean, body and then down to view his full… package. When her fingers graced down his chest he shivered some then tensed up. A gasp rushed out of her parted lips when she felt a finger inserted into her all of a sudden below.

She was moist but he could do better, so he ran his fingers down her folds until he found her clit to play with only briefly, only enough to give her a small thrill, and leave her aching for more before he began to ump his finger in her. Her gasps and whimpers for more was like music to his ears, the way her hips moved along with his agonizingly slow motions only assured him more that she was ready to go forward.

He pried himself away from her completely then before he parted her legs and propped her up some more with his strong arms so he could place the tip of his cock at her entrance. He plunged in, groaning from the felling of her wrapped around him completely. A gasp rushed out of her lips when she felt him invade her as deep as he could manage - all at once, all of a sudden, and it felt _great_.

So fucking great.

She was tight… not virgin tight, she obviously wasn't one of those, but it still was grand to him all the same. He groaned while he readjusted his legs so he could stay up right, then tilted her body more so that it was easier for him to start to rock in and out of her. When she finally began to thrust her hips with his own jerks it made the sensations all the more welcomed.

He quickened his pace to an almost unyielding level, one that was certain to leave her scream for more, and from the way her breathing picked up, her gasps grew, and her moans magnified he figured hw as doing all the right things. Moving in and out, in and out, harder and quicker which each thrust, goraning himself whenever she jerked to meet him.

He was so focused on the feeling of his release coming, the tightness around him, and the little noises that she made that he barely noticed her wrap a leg around him to yank him closer. Together they could be freed from the strain of _almost being there_.

In a ripple, a blissful flash, they felt their releases together.

**[…]**

When she woke up the next morning he wasn't there anymore. She wasn't surprised, she didn't expect him to be there by her side the next morning. They weren't lovers, they weren't in love, they just took an opportunity to share in physical pleasure with one another. She supposed he'd be back, he still wanted to use her as bait to get Naraku, so he was probably going to be returning soon.

So, before he did, she decided to put her clothes back on and take a walk around the area. It was a warm summer morning, it would be refreshing, probably help her clear her mind… yet, she didn't seem to get the chance to do that because the moment she walked around the spring towards the forest area she felt someone grab her from behind then smash her upside the head.

Blackness consumed her for some time before… she awoke in a dark place, one that had her restrained because no matter how hard she tried she could not move. That was when her gaze shifted over to her hands which were connected to the wall behind her.

Her heart began to race at the realization of what must have happened. She got captured, again, and… really there was only one person she could have thought of that wanted that. Naraku.

When she realized that, he appeared with a wicked smile on his face as his cruel crimson gaze shifted over her. She let out a sigh as she looked over him. How could she let herself get captured again? She was so stupid… so distracted.

Damn it.

"Where is my brother?" Sango snapped.

"No need for you to worry about him," Naraku countered as he walked up to her the knelt down next to her. His gaze devoured her in the most uncomfortable of ways. "Maybe if you were more cooperative than I would show you your brother."

"Cooperative?" she inquired with a raised brow.

The way his eyes wandered over her again made her think that she didn't want to be cooperative with whatever thing he was talking about… so instead she spat in his face. "You're going to get killed eventually, I hope I can watch you die."

In retaliation, she felt a sharp slap against her face. It stung like hell but it was worth it.

"Or, I'll bore of you and end your pathetic life," he sharply retorted, "you'll submit to me, _Sango_, or die. Think about that."

He got up then and left, apparently to leave her to ponder over that option. But she didn't care to lament over that so she started to try and pry herself from her restraints. She twisted her wrist, yanked, tried her hardest to get free. It took ages, her skin was raw, but she was able to free herself from the rope and find her way to her feet.

Slowly she opened the door to the chamber was in and allowed her mahogany gaze to glance around the hallway. She wasn't sure which way to go but she didn't care she started to run anyway to find her way out of the area. But the sight of a familiar boy caught her attention instead, _Kohaku_.

"Kohaku," she whispered as she ran up to him to kneel down next to him, he didn't respond, his empty gaze was locked on nothing in particular. Her heart ached at the sight… somewhere in him had to be the brother she knew, the only family she had left. Right? "Kohaku, it's me, it's your ane-ue."

"He's not your little brother anymore," got her to jump some as she glanced over her shoulder to see Naraku there. "I can prove it, if you'd like. Kohaku, kill her."

What she wanted to say was that he wouldn't, that her brother would _never_ kill her, _never_ harm her no matter what Naraku ever said. But that didn't matter because she felt a jabbing pain in her gut instead. One that got her eyes to widened, her jaw to drop, her breath to hitch before her shaky gaze looked down to the boy beside her.

The one that held a knife that was deeply inserted into her. A single tear trickled down his face as his empty eyes continued to stare at nothing in particular.

"I can fix you, like I fixed your brother," Naraku offered as he walked up to her while she grabbed her bleeding side. "Would you like that, Sango?"

If he didn't… she'd die, but she'd rather die than be his puppet.

Again, she didn't get the chance to say what was on her mind before something caught Naraku's attention. In a flash, he was forced into a fight, one between him and a quick silver haired taiyoukai. Somehow… Sesshomaru had found them. He had come to her rescue again… this time too late, though.

She knew it as she felt to the ground, she felt the blood rush out from between her fingers as her gaze shifted away from the clash to her brother. She didn't want to die, she didn't want to leave him, she couldn't… "Kohaku, this… this isn't y-your fault."

If, somehow, he ever got his mind back she didn't want him remember this moment. She didn't want him feeling guilty. "I love you…"

"Ane-ue…" he muttered again.

That received a smile, a forced one, the best she could muster up, but a smile nonetheless. She hoped if he had to remember anything, he would remember that… then all faded to black for her.

**[…]**

A slice flew over her, or through her even, but it didn't hurt, it just felt awkward. Even in the abyss she was lost in… even in the pain and haze she could feel it cross her again. Reluctantly she forced her eyes open to see someone standing over her, someone who was putting his sword away. Slowly she realized what was going on, the pain in her body was evaporating… and it was Sesshomaru standing above her.

"Ane-ue!" Kohaku cried out, he was kneeling by her side, his eyes filled with life once more as he looked down at her.

"Kohaku?" she whispered as she slowly rose up on her elbows to look over her brother, "are you alright?"

"This man did something with his sword," Kohaku explained as he turned her gaze to Sesshomaru, "something to the both of us… it healed your wound and helped me."

"Thank you," Sango stated as she looked up to Sesshomaru, "thank you so much."

He nodded to her.

"Where is Naraku…?"

"What's left of him is there," he explained with a wave of his hand to the body parts that were scattered across the room.

"You killed him?" She asked with awe.

"I did," he asserted.

"Good," though she was a little sorry she didn't get to see it happen.

Slowly, he held out his hand for her to take, which she did so that he could help her to her feet. She wasn't sure what to do next, killing Naraku and saving her brother had been her top priority but she… figured, somehow, she would find something to do. Maybe, if she was lucky, something that involved seeing more of Sesshomaru.


End file.
